Local Football Facility Plan Hillingdon

The London Borough of Hillingdon is in the Greater London region.

The current population of the authority (ONS 2017 Mid-Year Estimate) is 302,343. This is expected to rise to 357,747 by 2039.

Hillingdon is ranked 23 out of 33 LAs in the region, and 152 out of 326 LAs nationally on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (ONS)

Hillingdon's ethnic composition is primarily white (60.61%). This is substantially below the national average (85.4%).

The proportion of Hillingdon’s population represented by the BAME community is 39.39%. This is considerably above the national average (14.6%)

Local authority

Hillingdon Council is currently updating its Local Plan. This will guide development in Hillingdon in the coming years.

The Authority produced its Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) in 2017. Whilst the PPS has been used as supporting evidence for the Local Plan, it has not been signed off by the relative national governing bodies of sport and has, therefore, not been used as the evidence base for the LFFP at this time.

County football association

Hillingdon is covered by the Middlesex County FA. It provides governance for, and development support to, all aspects of local football including coaches, referees, volunteers, clubs and leagues; supporting football for all. The County FA has a designated facilities investment lead officer who works to ensure the right facilities are located in the right locations.

Football Foundation

The Regional Engagement Manager and Regional Technical Project Manager at the Football Foundation work collaboratively with the County FA to provide pre-application support to priority projects for potential investment.

Sport England

Has a network of planning managers who have a statutory role in the planning system to protect playing fields and provide consultation responses to planning applications relating to sporting facilities . They also play a key role in strategic planning for sports facilities, providing advice and support to local authorities to assess need for facilities in their local area.

Professional community club organisations (CCOs)

These offer a variety of programmes and services to support local communities (sporting and non-sporting). The QPR in the Community Trust and Brentford FC Community Sports Trust run a variety of health, education, engagement, football and sporting activities within the local area.

Local leisure operator

GLL and Fusion Lifestyle are the key leisure operators in Hillingdon. Fusion Lifestyle currently runs Hillingdon Sport and Leisure Complex, whereas GLL manages Botwell Green Sports and Leisure and High Grove Pool and Fitness.

Local consultation

This has taken place with a broad and diverse set of community groups in Hillingdon. 24 individuals (representing 21 local organisations) were spoken to. The agencies consulted include:

• Ickenham Youth
• Wealdstone Youth
• Sandgate Youth
• Brunel University London - Head of Sport
• Bell Farm Christian Centre
• DASH (Disablement Association Hillingdon)

(See Appendix B for full list of consultees)

Clubs

There are over 91,000 community football teams in England, spread over an expansive network of clubs and leagues. Hillingdon has a total of 418 teams, which is comparable to local areas of a similar size.

The FA is investing to support clubs both on and off the pitch which includes an aim to have a qualified FA coach with every youth team by 2020/21. In addition, it will support 1,000 clubs to create full player pathways from youth to adult teams and develop 150 community football hubs with male and female pathways, disability and recreational playing opportunities.

Over the last 10-years there has been a significant national increase in the number of large multi-team football clubs. In Hillingdon, 15 clubs have more than 10 registered teams. The largest of these (based upon 2018-19 affiliation data) are:

• Ruislip Rangers FC - 54 teams
• Ickenham Youth FC - 39 teams
• Wealdstone Youth FC - 33 teams
• Northwood FC - 22 teams
• Bessingby Park Rangers FC - 17 teams
• Explorers Youth FC - 17 teamS

Leagues

16 leagues operate in Hillingdon. They offer competitive opportunities for many different players, including women and girls, disability, youth and adults.

The largest local leagues serving the area (2018-19) include:

• Middlesex Youth League - home and away
• Harrow Soccer Combination - home and away
• Harrow Youth League - home and away

The County FA reports some cross boundary migration to/from Hillingdon primarily due to teams affiliating and playing in leagues based in Berks and Bucks.

Disability football

There are 9.4 million people in England with a long-standing limiting disability, illness or condition which equates to 18% of the population – almost one in five. Football playing opportunities should be flexible, inclusive and accessible for everyone, whatever their level of ability. This could entail inclusion in mainstream activity or teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability.

In Hillingdon there are 20 football teams / sessions specifically for people with a disability. It is a priority of the County FA to sustain this provision. For talented players the FA runs regional centres and England national squads.

Women and girls

The FA has big ambitions for the female game and aims to double levels of participation by 2020. To achieve this requires a combined effort across four pathways: education, recreation, competition and talent.

Education environments have a huge impact on the first experience of football for young girls. This pathway can offer many opportunities for females of all ages to develop and grow a lifelong interest in football.

FA Wildcats girls football centres provide the first step on the recreational pathway, the programme provides girls aged 5-11 with regular opportunities to play football in a fun and engaging environment. Hillingdon has five FA Wildcats girls football centres and the priority is to grow this activity.

At 37, Hillingdon’s number of female teams is higher than local areas of a similar size. The County FA’s priority is to support existing clubs to grow and encourage more clubs to develop playing opportunities for females. The local girls’ league is the Capital Girls League in which matches are played on a both a home and away and central venue basis. The league is expected to grow its provision in future years. The local adult female league is the Greater London Women's Football League; it too plays matches on a home and away and is expected to sustain its provision in future years.

For talented players, the most local FA Regional Talent Club (RTC) is Arsenal which is located in London Colney Hertfordshire. Higher level talent pathway opportunities are also provided regionally and nationally by the FA, culminating in the England Women’s national squads. The most local Women’s Super League team is London Bees which provides player pathway opportunities for gifted and talented female players and a spectator interest for fans.

Small sided football

Many different types of small-sided football are played in England, from teams and leagues to recreational and informal. It is an established and important part of the modern game.

Small-sided teams and leagues are organised and competitive activities; typically with players registered to clubs and affiliated to leagues and their County FAs. Examples include futsal and local small-sided leagues running at venues such as sports halls, 3G FTPs or small-sided 3G centres. Key local providers include:

• Goals - Ruislip
• Goals - Heathrow
• Goals - Hayes

Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced, small sided team game that is widely played across the world. Typically it is played on an indoor surface with hockey-sized goals and a size 4 football with reduced ball bounce. It is the FA’s aim to ensure that futsal is available across the country.

There are currently 14 futsal teams in Hillingdon that play in the Wycombe Futsal and BUCS Futsal League at key site locations including Brunel University. It is a priority for the County FA to grow futsal for female players.

Recreational football

Recreational football is played where facilities are typically booked and there might be someone to help organise. Examples include FA Just Play sessions, walking football and casual pitch hire for small-sided match play.

There are currently two FA Just Play centres in Hillingdon. Walking football sessions are delivered by a range of community organisation such Uxbridge Amblers and Fusion. Walking football and Just Play have been prioritised by the County FA for further growth and development. Other local recreational football programmes include Kickz which is delivered by a range of organisations including Queens Park Rangers.

Informal football

Informal football is played in local parks and green spaces – it is free, open access and often played spontaneously (normal clothing is worn). Common examples include a kick-about at a local park or on a multi-use games area (MUGA).

Currently, informal football in Hillingdon is played particularly in the west and central areas of the Authority. Botwell Leisure Centre and Hillingdon House Farm are key, well-used, site locations.

The key strengths of local football in Hillingdon include youth male and youth female provision and it is recommended that this is sustained and also encouraged to grow further. However there are aspects of football provision that are less well represented than that in local authorities of a similar size, these include recorded recreational activity

It is therefore recommended that the future football development priorities for Hillingdon are:

1. Recreational both male and female
2. SSE Wildcats centres
3. Disability female

The facilities required to assist this are now set out in the Assets and opportunities section.

Priority projects that progresses to a funding application via the Football Foundation will produce a detailed ‘site development plan’ specifying all football development activity, usage and key partner engagement.

This section reviews existing football facility assets in Hillingdon. It identifies current issues and presents opportunities for improvements, including a list of priority projects for potential investment. Local assets and opportunities have been reviewed in line with four investment priorities:

• 3G FTPs
• Improved grass pitches
• Changing room pavilions / clubhouses
• Small sided facilities

To ensure a consistent and high quality approach, each local area has been reviewed applying a standard approach, supplemented by input from consultation with local partners and stakeholder organisations.

While each investment priority is reviewed individually, it is understood that they can be inter-reliant; account is, thus, taken of these potential connections.

3G FTPs are a high quality and indispensable part of modern football facilities; their impact cannot be underestimated. In recent years the industry has seen major innovations and improvements to artificial surfaces (and sports lighting). This has created playing surfaces that replicate a good standard natural turf pitch whilst significantly increasing levels of use (x20). All FTPs must have sports lighting to achieve this.

The high quality, consistent playing surface is the ideal environment to play the game and for young people to learn. With regular maintenance programmes, FTPs can be heavily used all year round with no decline in quality. They almost completely negate annoying fixture cancellations during winter months, helping football to be a key part of a regular physical activity habit.

High capacity levels offer a great opportunity to embrace all formats and engage all participants. A full-sized 3G caters for an average of 1,200 participants per week and is suitable for various location types. That means being fully inclusive to all sections of the community, with a particular focus on under-represented groups such as women and girls, people with a disability, BAME communities and people from lower socio-economic groups.

The way 3G FTPs are used is rapidly changing; current line-marking systems allow for match play across all formats of football (5v5, 7v7, 9v9 and 11v11). This enables significant levels of match-play to be transferred from grass to 3G.

There are currently 10 existing full-sized (11v11) 3G FTPs in Hillingdon. These are located at:

• Barnhill Community High School
• Brunel University Sports Park
• Harefield Academy (Indoor facility)
• Harlington Sports Ground
• Hillingdon Sports and Leisure Complex
• RAF Northolt
• Rosedale College
• Skyex Community Stadium
• The Middlesex Stadium
• Northwood School

It is also worth noting that two full size 3G FTPs are located at Middlesex FA headquarters, which is located 0.5 of a mile from the Hillingdon border and as such, some of Hillingdon's demand is absorbed at this site.

Four of the ten are on the FA Register for 3G FTPs (meaning they are quality checked and can be used for football match play). It is strongly recommended that the remainder are assessed and placed on the Register to enable more match play on 3G.

Additionally, there are currently 35 small-sided 3G FTPs across Hillingdon:

• ACS Hillingdon International School (one 53x41m)
• Botwell Green Sports and Leisure Centre (one 60x40m)
• Goals Soccer Centre (Hayes) (nine 32x21m and two 43x23m)
• Goals Soccer Centre (Heathrow) (eight 30x20m and two 40x30m)
• Goals Soccer Centre (Ruislip) (eight 31x21m, two 42x24m and one 42x32m)
• Uxbridge College (one 30x20m)
• Uxbridge High School (indoor facility - one 60x40m)

There is a shortfall of three (rounded down from 3.3) full-sized FTP equivalents relative to assessed demand. This is calculated using FA 3G demand modelling, which in Hillingdon identifies that the demand for recreational football is higher than affiliated demand. To inform this calculation, in respect of full size 3G FTPs, modelled supply has been reduced at the following sites:

• Harlington Sports Ground - this facility is primarily used by Imperial College London and QPR FC as a training ground. It is however anticipated that QPR FC will relocate to its new training ground in Ealing within the next two years
• Harefield Academy - this facility is primarily reserved for use by Watford FC and QPR FC rather than community clubs
• Skyex Community Stadium - this facility is primarily used by Hayes and Yeading FC
• Northwood School - facility has no floodlighting
• Rosedale College - Football Foundation in consultation with college to improve community access
• Brunel University Sports Park - Football Foundation in consultation with university to improve community access

With regard to small sided 3G FTPs, supply at ACS Hillingdon International School has been discounted due to the fact that it does not offer community use, whilst modelled supply has also been reduced at Uxbridge High School due to the use made of it by Brentford FC Community Sports Trust and Brunel University (this is subject to ongoing negotiations). The supply equation has also been factored down to take account of the fact that the three Goals centres (Heathrow, Hayes and Ruislip) are commercial facilities.

In addition to more full sized 3G FTPs being required, the one at Brunel University has reached end of life and requires replacement. This previously received investment from the Football Foundation.

The geographic spread of existing facilities is even; with facilities provided in the north, central and southern areas of the Borough. There are provision gaps in the Hayes and Yiewsley areas despite high levels of population, high levels of deprivation and high levels of projected housing growth. It is recommended that this is addressed.

Local consultation reveals common issues with high pricing and limited availability and the intention of this plan is to see that this is addressed.

Four priority projects for potential investment are identified; two full size 3G FTPs and two small-sided FTPs. One priority project has been identified as being needed within a geographic area of Hayes rather than at a specific venue, as no suitable site was identified during the consultation process.

Playing fields are one of the most important resources for sport in England. All football players should have the opportunity to play on good quality grass pitches. However, FA data shows that 63% of pitches in England are poor / low quality and one in six games is cancelled. As such, poor pitch quality is consistently cited as the number one issue for players.

The priority is, therefore, to sustainably improve grass pitch quality across all main pitch owners (local authorities, education establishments and clubs). However, the level of maintenance required to obtain good quality standards is regularly affected by restricted budgets and limited knowledge/ training. Compaction and grass coverage are two key causes of poor quality pitches. Both are commonly treated via a maintenance driven solution (and do not necessarily require costly drainage schemes).

Playing fields are also a valuable resources for informal play and open-access sites are encouraged but, for many, problems such as dog fouling and vandalism mean that they need to be protected with mitigation measures such as fencing.

The key challenge is to create a sustainable approach to provide good quality football pitches for the long term. Most local authorities (78%) intend to increase pitch hire fees in the future. However, many players (63%) believe facilities are already expensive and some (16%) believe prices are prohibitive. A sustainable solution should, therefore, carefully balance pitch quality and affordability.

While the education sector (37%) and local authorities (32%) are still the principal asset owners of grass pitches, clubs / leagues own or maintain an increasing share (currently 25%). Assets and opportunities have been considered across each sector.

Although large (3+ pitch) strategic sites are important and make up much of the project list within the LFFPs, this does not mean that other club, league and community/voluntary sites are not important or eligible for funding. These sites are key to the Football Foundation's Grass Pitch Programme to deliver 20,000 good quality pitches.

For more information click here.

PitchPower

The PitchPower app is the gateway to any grass pitch improvement funding. It is the tool that will allow clubs and organisations to complete pitch inspections and access funds.

If you haven't signed up and completed a PitchPower pitch inspection, you will need to do this before you can apply for the Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund.

Learn more by clicking here.

There are currently 20 grass pitch sites in Hillingdon with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but deemed to be of strategic importance). These contain 78 grass pitches.

Local consultation confirms consistent issues with poor quality and it is recommended that this is addressed.

Of the 20 key pitch sites referenced above it was determined that 11 should be prioritised for improvements. This will result in quality improvements to 47 pitches.

11 priority projects for potential investment are identified. Prioritisation was based on a rationale of selecting sites in the poorest condition that are (or could be) well utilised for football.

These can provide a number of different benefits. While the primary function is normally the provision of changing rooms to accommodate match-play and training (for players and officials), there can be equal value in facilities such as community and education rooms, catering facilities and spectator toilets.

Each project will take a progressive approach to pavilions and clubhouses (beyond the provision of changing rooms) and be open to new opportunities to engage the whole community. That means, creating environments that are welcoming to players, spectators, volunteers, officials and all sections of the community.

Such assets should support other investment priorities (e.g. 3G FTPs and grass pitches) and be located at sites that will have the greatest impact on local communities. To ensure this, focus is given to sites with three or more full-size pitch equivalents. However, as pitch quality is the number one priority for players this is prioritised before investment in changing room pavilions /clubhouses.

Clearly, facilities need to be well managed and maintained to keep them in a good state of repair. Consideration will be given to reviewing the best operator solution for key sites and the installation of revenue generating features such as catering facilities and community rooms. To achieve this, business plan support will be given to each priority project as it progresses to an application to the Football Foundation.

Of the 20 key grass pitch sites in Hillingdon with three or more full-size pitch equivalents (or with fewer than three pitches but of strategic importance) 11 have suitable changing rooms, eight require improvement/replacement and one site currently has no facilities and needs toilet facilities to support youth football.

In addition to those noted above, a new changing pavilion may be required as part of the 3G FTP development within the Hayes, once the preferred location is identified.

Ten priority projects for potential investment are identified.

Good facilities are important to all small sided football players, but it is important to understand the different formats of the small-sided game and the various facility types they relate to.

Research suggests that small-sided players in teams and leagues, and in recreational sessions, prefer a 3G surface type because it replicates a good standard natural turf pitch. These facilities have already been covered in the 3G FTP section of this LFFP.

Indoor environments currently accommodate 20% of football participation and are also popular with players in teams and leagues and recreational sessions . Indoor sports halls are most popular, along with some community halls and indoor 3G centres. Environments need to be engaging, have clear line-marking and the correct size goalposts.

Informal players require facilities that are open and free to access as this enables play opportunities that are often spontaneous. In these circumstances multi-use games areas (MUGAs) can be effective in areas of high urban population and limited green space. Such facilities can be modern, bright, creative and engaging. While this plan will identify suitable locations for such facilities, the design and specifics of the facility type can be agreed at a later stage with Football Foundation staff when projects are ready to progress to pre-application stage.

Parks and open green spaces are also important to informal play and require goalposts and zones that are free from litter and dog fouling.

Local consultation indicates that no indoor facilities presently require improvement to develop small-sided football.

Five potential opportunities for MUGAs are identified. In each case the rationale is based on the site being in an area of high population density with relatively high proportions of people from lower social economic groups and corresponding high local demand for informal football.

Following local consultation, and assisted by the Sport England green spaces mapping tool, three locations are identified to support small sided informal football. Here, the rationale is based on popular local parks/open green spaces with suitable space / areas upon which to develop provision to increase opportunity for informal football.

A range of local agencies and larger (usually 10 plus team) local football clubs were invited to participate in the LFFP consultation. Those that contributed are listed below:

• Harefield United FC - Secretary
• Ickenham Youth FC - Secretary
• Northwood FC - Life Vice-President
• Wealdstone FC - Secretary
• Wealdstone Youth FC - Secretary
• West Drayton Youth FC - Secretary
• Sandgate Youth FC - Secretary
• Explorers FC - Vice Chairman
• Stanmore Jafferys - Chairman
• Brook House FC - Secretary
• Ruislip Rangers - Chairman
• Middlesex County League - Secretary
• Explorers FC - Chairman
• Brook House FC - Chairman
• Brunel University London - Head of Sport
• London Sport - Relationship Manager
• QPR in the Community - Women's and Girls Manager
• Brentford FC Community Trust - Community Football Development Manager
• Amatuer Football Alliance - Football Development Officer
• Bell Farm Christian Centre - Minister
• Hillingdon Borough Council - Head of Green Space, Sport and Culture
• Hillingdon Borough Council - Stronger Communities Manager
• Hillingdon Borough Council - Sport and Physical Activity Team Leader
• Hillingdon Borough Council - Planning Officer
• DASH - Transitions Officer
• Ruislip High School - Head of Boys PE